Wagon-jack



(No Model.)

W. H. BRUCE.

WAGON JACK.

No. 304,701. Patehted Sept. 9, 1884'.

wilfrpes ses h nt UNrTlEn STATES- FIQE.

WAGON-JACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,701, dated September 9, 1884.

Application filed July 31, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER H. BRUCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marla borough, in the county of Cheshire and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in W'agon-Jacks, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of wagon jacks by which the entire wagon is raised at once,

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a jack which will raise a wagon bodily from the ground and support the same, so that all the wheels may be removed at once for the,

purpose of cleaning or greasing the axles or washing the wagon; second, a jack which will raise either the forward or hind axle separately, or both together, as desired; third, a jack which is more simple in construction, is composed of a less number of parts, and less liable to get out of order than any other jack of the same class now in use; and, fourth, to provide a jack which will let down a wagon by either a forward or backward movement of the jack, as may be desired. I attain the above-named objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective View of my improved wagon-jack, showing its construction, as well as its general form when elevated for the purpose of raising a wagon. Fig. 2 is a top view showing its appearance when closed and not in use.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in both views.

'My invention consists, first, of two parallel wooden bars, B, of a length sufficient to pass under both axles of an ordinary wagon. These bars are connected together by two cross-bars or stretchers, S, on which stretchers the legs of the jack are attached in the manner and for the purposes hereinafter shown. Second, the

parallel bars B are extended at one end, so as to form handles H, by means of which the jack is operated and the wagon raised. Third, inside the parallel bars B and on each of the cross-bars or stretchers S are hinged or hung two pairs of legs, Z Z and m m, which are also connected together by stretchers c. The upper portion of these legs are hinged on the stretchers S, so as to turn or swing freely or at will on said stretchers. The two pairs of legs at m are made to swing inside the pairs Z Z, as shown.

The method of operating the jack is as follows: First, the jack, when closed, as shown in Fig. 2, is placed on the ground or floor, under the wagon, with the cross-bars C under the axles, and the handles Hextending in the rear of the hind axle; second, the rear part of the jack being raised, the feet of the rear legs Z and or remain by their own weight on the ground, so that when the bars B strike the hind axle the rear legs of the jack are brought together so as to sustain the hinder part of the jack against the under part of the rear axle; third, now by using the rear legs as a fulcrum, and bearing down on the handles H,

. the front part of the jack is raised up to the front axle, and the fore legs adjusting themselves in the same manner as" the hind ones,

the fore part of the jack is sustained against the under part of the front axle; fourth, now by using the front and rear pairs of legs Z Z as levers and the ground as a fulcrum, the operation pulls the bars B backward by the handles H, and by the purchase or power thus obtained the entire wagon is easily raised bodily to a desired height. WVhile thus raising the wagon the feet of the front and rear legs at at close up and form braces to the legs Z Z, which latter are raised to nearly a perpendicular position. The wagon thus raised from the ground is supported firmly in itsposition 011 the jack. The wagon is let down by simply pulling the bars B backward, so that the front and rear legs Z Z will incline from a perpendicular toward the operator. All the legs will then close up within the bars 13, and

the whole falls to the ground. The wagon can paratus very compact for shipping and con-- venient to hang up on a wall when not in use.

I claim as my invention- 1. A wagonjack consisting of two parallel bars, having handles at one end thereof, connected together by two parallel cross-bars or stretchers, on each. of which stretohersare hinged two pairs of legs for supporting said bars, when constructed substantially as and for the-purposes described.

2. The combination, in a wagon-jack, of the parallel bars B, having handles H, and connected together by the stretchers G, with the legs ZZ and m or, when constructed substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a wagon-jack, the combination of the legs I Z, connected with the stretchers O, with the brace-legs m m,c0nnected with the stretchers O, constructed as described, for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, in awagon-jack, of the parallel bars 13, having handles H, the stretchers O, the legs Z Z, and legs or braces m m, all constructed substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WALT-ER H. BRUCE.

Witnesses:

IIIRAM BLAKE, ROBERT 13. MUNsnLL. 

